Three years after closing inpatient operations, St. Joseph Mercy Saline will convert its 24-hour emergency department to a 12-hour urgent care center on April 15.

Officials for St. Joseph Mercy Health System, the Ann Arbor-based parent organization, closed the hospital in July 2010 because of low patient census. St. Joseph cited similar reasons – declining volume – for closing its ER.

St. Joseph also is considering moving the Saline urgent care center to another location in the community.

Other services at St. Joseph Saline also will be closed and consolidated at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 11 miles from the Saline facility. They include radiology services, including CT scans, vascular, mammography and ultrasound. Some outpatient services will continue, including lab draw and general X-ray services.

Physical and occupational therapy services will remain but are under evaluation. Also remaining will be the community health center resource for education, nutrition and preventive health services.

“We have served the Saline community for the past 50 years and will continue to do so,” Rob Casalou, CEO of St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor and Livingston, said in a statement. “However, we must be willing to adapt services based on community patterns in order to continue fulfilling our healing mission.”

An unspecified number of layoffs are expected, although other positions within the system could be available to staff affected by the changes, officials said.

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